How To Answer The 5 Most Common Ivy League Supplemental Essay Prompts

Forbes

7 hours ago

With the Common App officially open, motivated seniors are already assembling their application materials. Some of the most critical components of Ivy League and other top college applications are the essays, which let students speak directly to admissions officers in their own voice. Though many students primarily focus their energy on the Common App personal statement, supplemental essays are just as important for showcasing fit and strengthening a student's candidacy.
While the personal statement allows students to share about themselves, their backgrounds, and their experiences, the supplemental essays are written in response to school-specific prompts and give applicants a valuable opportunity to illustrate how their distinct qualities make them an ideal fit for the university through tailored writing.
Given that some schools have a considerable number of supplemental essay prompts (Yale requires students to respond to a whopping eight questions, seven short-answer and one longer essay), students should dedicate ample time to brainstorming, drafting, and revising. While drafting so many essays may seem like a daunting task, the good news is that many of these prompts follow recognizable patterns. Identifying recurring categories of questions can allow students to strategize and craft responses that are specific, memorable, and cohesive.
Here are five of the most popular types of prompts at Ivy League schools this year:
1. The 'Why Our School' Question
Brown University: In one sentence, Why Brown? (50 words)
Dartmouth College: As you seek admission to Dartmouth's Class of 2030, what aspects of the college's academic program, community, and/or campus environment attract your interest? How is Dartmouth a good fit for you? (100 words or fewer)
Columbia University: Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)*
One of the most common—and most important—types of supplemental essay, the 'why this school' essay requires students to clearly and directly communicate why they want to attend a particular institution. The key to answering this type of supplemental essay prompt is specificity. In the limited word count, applicants must convey their unique interest in the school and demonstrate that the institution is the ideal place for them to pursue their academic and professional goals.
The first step to crafting an eye-catching response is research. Students should look at faculty bios and publications, read program news pages, and identify student-led organizations, clubs, and extracurricular opportunities that align with their interests. Additionally, personal anecdotes from a college visit—such as an impactful conversation with a current student or a positive experience while sitting in on a class—can make the essay more authentic and unique.
Finally, students should avoid vague praise about the rigor or prestige of the institution. The admissions committee knows that their school is great—they want to know why it's great for you.
2. The Disagreement Essay
Columbia University: At Columbia, students representing a wide range of perspectives are invited to live and learn together. In such a community, questions and debates naturally arise. Please describe a time when you did not agree with someone and discuss how you engaged with them and what you took away from the interaction. (150 words or fewer)
Harvard University: Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience?* (150 words)
Yale University: Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful?
In asking this question, admissions committees want to understand how a prospective student will contribute to their school's vibrant and diverse academic community. Students should demonstrate two primary qualities: confidence and open-mindedness. First, they should show conviction in their beliefs, establishing that they can bring a dynamic perspective to dialogues on campus. At the same time, students should exhibit open-mindedness—college is a time to encounter diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and worldviews. This essay should show that a student is teachable and willing to investigate their own beliefs as they seek to grow and mature as people and thinkers.
This is a space for applicants to showcase nuance, so it is best to avoid writing about something trivial or cliche (such as whether pancakes or waffles are better or the meaning of life). While the topic doesn't have to be world-changing, it should convey something meaningful about who the applicant is, what they value, and how they think.
3. The 'Nerd Out' Prompt
Dartmouth College: Celebrate your nerdy side. (250 words or fewer)
Yale University: Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)
The Ivy League schools are not only academically rigorous, but they are also seeking students who are genuinely passionate about learning. The liberal arts curricula at schools like Dartmouth, Brown, and Columbia offer students a wealth of opportunities to explore subjects outside of their major, while Harvard's highly traditional academic environment pushes students to excel in gaining knowledge of their field. The most important quality to showcase in this essay is curiosity. While applicants can write about the subject they intend to study, this prompt can also provide an opportunity to demonstrate curiosity outside of one's primary academic interests. Students might choose to write about a subject that unexpectedly intersects with their field of study or that is distinct from it entirely. Regardless of the topic they choose, applicants should use the essay to illustrate how they take an active part in their own learning and are motivated by a genuine desire to grow as thinkers.
4. The Community & Diversity Question
Cornell University: We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you've been shaped by one of the communities you belong to. Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience. Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of communities you might choose from include: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural. (350 word limit)
Princeton University: Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (500 words or fewer)
University of Pennsylvania: How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words)
Many top schools introduced community and diversity prompts such as these in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action. In lieu of demographic data, these questions provide an open format in which students can reflect on their backgrounds and experiences, tying these aspects of their identity to their future contributions on campus. Some students may choose to define community in a more traditional way here, writing about their racial or ethnic background, religious community, or geographic region, while others might choose to highlight a more unconventional community they are a part of, such as a Scrabble club or affinity group. However an applicant chooses to define community, their response should connect their identity to the tangible ways they intend to enrich their future collegiate communities. When answering this prompt, students should ask themselves: How does my background equip me to bring something unique to my future college campus?
5. The Rapid-Fire List
Brown University: What three words best describe you? (3 words)
Columbia University: List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy. (100 words or fewer)
Harvard University: Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.
Finally, one of the most simple yet challenging supplemental essay prompts is the 'rapid-fire list.' These short answer questions require students to respond to a question with a simple list of items. Because students are not given the space to expound on their answers, they should select items that are creative and unique. Though the questions do not require extensive drafting, students should dedicate time and effort to brainstorming answers that will convey new information about their personalities and passions.
The supplemental essays are a critical opportunity for students to share their voice and expound on their candidacy. With time and strategic planning, these essays can highlight students' unique qualities to admissions officers and distinguish them from thousands of others in the competitive admissions process.